Terrorism: Court sentences Ansaru commander Usman to 15 yrs in prison

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

ABUJA—The Federal High Court sitting successful Abuja, connected Thursday, convicted a commandant of the Ansaru violent sect, Mahmud Usman, and sentenced him to 15 years successful prison.

The verdict followed a blameworthy plea entered by the defendant, who is besides known by respective aliases, including Abu Bara’a, Abbas, and Mukhtar.

Usman admitted earlier the tribunal that helium engaged successful amerciable mining activities and utilized the proceeds to get arms for coercion and kidnapping operations.

He was arraigned connected a 32-count complaint alongside his deputy, Abubakar Abba, popularly called Mahmud Al-Nigeri oregon Isah Adam/Mallam Mamuda.

While Usman pleaded blameworthy to 1 number successful the charge, his co-defendant maintained his innocence connected each counts.

Consequently, successful summation to sentencing Usman to 15 years’ imprisonment, proceedings justice Justice Emeka Nwite ordered that some men beryllium remanded successful the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) pending the determination of the remaining 31 counts against them.

In the complaint marked FHC/ABJ/CR/464/2025, the Federal Government alleged that Usman, besides known arsenic Abu Bara’a, from Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State, and Mahmud Al-Nigeri, from Daura LGA of Katsina State, aided and abetted violent attacks crossed Nigeria betwixt 2013 and 2015.

According to the prosecution, led by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, M.B. Abubakar, the defendants conspired to service arsenic apical commanders of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimeena Fii Bilaadis Sudan (JAMBS/Ansaru), a proscribed organisation successful Nigeria linked to the Al-Qaeda violent network.

They were besides accused of receiving grooming successful weapons handling, the fabrication of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), and warfare tactics from Jama’atu Nusratil Islami Wal Muslimin (JNIM), a Mali-based violent group.

In addition, the defendants were said to person participated successful the 2022 onslaught connected Wawa Cantonment of the Nigerian Army successful New-Bussa, Niger State, which resulted successful wide casualties.

Usman was described arsenic the “coordinator of violent sleeper cells crossed Nigeria and the mastermind of respective high-profile kidnappings and equipped robberies utilized to concern terrorism.”Security agencies captured the suspects betwixt May and July 2025 successful intelligence-led operations. Their apprehension was publically announced connected August 16 by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, who disclosed that some men had been connected nationalist and planetary panic watchlists.

Ansaru, a breakaway faction of the Boko Haram violent group, has been linked to respective high-profile attacks and kidnappings successful the country.In a related development, the DSS, connected Thursday, besides arraigned an alleged gunrunner, Hucaifa Haruna, earlier the aforesaid tribunal connected a five-count charge.

Haruna pleaded not guilty, and Justice Nwite ordered that helium stay successful DSS custody until October 17, erstwhile his proceedings is scheduled to commence.

The station Terrorism: Court sentences Ansaru commandant Usman to 15 yrs successful prison appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.